The Waikiki Sand Villa Hotel may not be widely known, and it’s no luxury resort, but it’s a hidden gem of an establishment with fine service and admirable standards.

The hotel has significantly upped its game with Wood & Bucket Tapas Bar & Grill, as it has been renamed, refurbishing its dining area and bar along with the menu. Back in 2011, I reviewed the hotel’s previous iteration of its lounge, then called the Sand Bar, calling it "nice but unassuming." These days, you’d be correct in assuming that a stop there will be rewarding, with rich tastes and a soothing atmosphere.

The experience

Access the Waikiki Sand Villa via Kanekapolei Street, just off Ala Wai Boulevard, with free valet parking for customers. As you enter, you’ll see the dining area just to your right.

The interior has been redone with wood accents and shades of beige, with mesh light covers and live plants adding to the relaxing, natural vibe of the decor.

The dining room, which can hold about 60 people at comfortably spaced tables, opens to the outside when the weather is good, and that’s nice, though it exposes the area to occasional disruption from Waikiki sirens or a car alarm. The service bar along the inside wall, used for the buffet breakfast, and the fact that you have to cross the lobby to use the restroom remind you that this is a hotel, but it’s no big deal.

Wood & Bucket’s servers are well-informed about the restaurant’s menu offerings. Nice touches throughout, such as live cuttings for a table centerpiece, add to the small pleasures of the experience.

I’d describe the vibe as "practical-aspirational": Wood & Bucket gets the job done cleanly and professionally, while elevating the experience in pleasant ways throughout.

The food

Despite the nice makeover, the food is really the reason to seek out Wood & Bucket.

I really enjoyed the cheese platter ($13), with pecorino Romano, brie and Gorgonzola cheeses, slices of prosciutto and salami, fresh raspberries, crackers and crystallized ginger. That’s one of Wood & Bucket’s signature tapas, as is the lamb chop lollipop ($9), seasoned with five-spice and served with a dollop of potato au gratin.

Pair the cheese plate with Wood & Bucket’s foie gras slider ($9), offering up two Kobe beef sliders topped with, yes, foie gras (and caramelized pineapple), along with a draft beer, cocktail or glass of wine, and you could easily feel satisfied if you’re not looking for a heavy dinner.

If your appetite is larger, consider the seafood curry-risotto, with mussels, sweet shrimp, bay scallop and bell peppers over a satisfying, spiced risotto; or the creamy polenta with barbecue shrimp, made with milk and fresh butter, and topped with chili-rubbed, seared shrimp. At $8, either would be a happy hour-suitable entree.

There are many other choices on the menu, in generous "tapa" sizes ($7-$15) or full-sized entrees, ranging from a sizzling half chicken or cheeseburger ($12) to a pupu-style New York steak platter with mushrooms ($18).

The drinks

You can save $1 on mai tai, draft Bud or Bud Light or a well drink during happy hour, but the offerings aren’t stellar. I would recommend going for a glass of wine. The hotel put some effort into revamping its wine selection, and there’s actually a hideaway wine bar, Il Buco, next to the pool. No happy hour specials there, though.

The verdict

With its hotel-based clientele and Ala Wai location, I’d still be most likely to consider stopping at Wood & Bucket if I had other reasons to be in Waikiki, like dropping in after a shopping excursion or before an event. But the upgraded look and tasty dishes make Wood & Bucket a worthy choice as the a first stop on date night or a refreshing late-night rendezvous.